The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment: Exploring Fundamental Symmetries of the Universe

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early Universe, the dynamics of the supernova bursts that produced the heavy elements necessary for life and whether protons eventually decay --- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our Universe, its current state and its eventual fate. The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) represents an extensively developed plan for a world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions. LBNE is conceived around three central components: (1) a new, high-intensity neutrino source generated from a megawatt-class proton accelerator at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (2) a near neutrino detector just downstream of the source, and (3) a massive liquid argon time-projection chamber deployed as a far detector deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. This facility, located at the site of the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, is approximately 1,300 km from the neutrino source at Fermilab -- a distance (baseline) that delivers optimal sensitivity to neutrino charge-parity symmetry violation and mass ordering effects. This ambitious yet cost-effective design incorporates scalability and flexibility and can accommodate a variety of upgrades and contributions. With its exceptional combination of experimental configuration, technical capabilities, and potential for transformative discoveries, LBNE promises to be a vital facility for the field of particle physics worldwide, providing physicists from around the globe with opportunities to collaborate in a twenty to thirty year program of exciting science. In this document we provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess.Comment: Major update of previous version. This is the reference document for LBNE science program and current status. Chapters 1, 3, and 9 provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess. 288 pages, 116 figure

Borexino : geo-neutrino measurement at Gran Sasso, Italy

Geo-neutrinos, electron anti-neutrinos produced in beta-decays of naturally occurring radioactive isotopes in the Earth, are a unique direct probe of our planet's interior. After a brief introduction of the geo-neutrinos' properties and of the main aims of their study, we discuss the features of a detector which has recently provided breakthrough achievements in the field, Borexino, a massive, calorimetric liquid scintillator detector installed at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory. With its unprecedented radiopurity levels achieved in the core of the detection medium, it is the only experiment in operation able to study in real time solar neutrino interactions in the challenging sub-MeV energy region. Its superior technical properties allowed Borexino also to provide a clean detection of terrestrial neutrinos. Therefore, the description of the characteristics of the detected geo-neutrino signal and of the corresponding geological implications are the main core of the discussion contained in this work

Expression Pattern Analysis of Larch WRKY in Response to Abiotic Stress

Larix olgensis is one of the most common tree species in Northeast China; it has the advantages of fast growth and good wood properties. In order to accelerate larch molecular breeding and to provide good candidate genes for larch improvement, based on the existing transcriptome data of Larix olgensis, four WRKY family genes with complete CD regions were obtained by BLAST comparison on the NCBI website. The results of bioinformatics analysis and gene expression after abiotic stress showed that there were some differences in the expression of WRKY1, WRKY2, WRKY3 and WRKY4 in roots, stems and leaves under each treatment. Under the treatment of a 40% PEG6000 solution (polyethylene glycol), the expression of WRKY2 was significantly up-regulated in each time period and WRKY1, WRKY3 and WRKY4 were down-regulated in varying degrees compared with the control group, indicating that they were involved in the response to drought stress. Under the treatment of the 0.2mol/L NaCl solution, the expression of WRKY2 was up-regulated in roots, stems and leaves. The expression amount and the expression trend of the other three genes were different in roots, stems and leaves under different treatment durations, indicating that they were also involved in a salt-stress response. Under the treatment of the 0.1 mol/L NaHCO3 solution, the expression of WRKY4 was significantly down-regulated in all time periods, while WRKY2 was significantly up-regulated. The other two genes were regulated to a certain extent, indicating that they also had a physiological response under alkaline conditions. These results lay a foundation for the study of gene function of these four WRKY transcription factors

Expression Pattern Analysis of Larch <i>WRKY</i> in Response to Abiotic Stress

Larix olgensis is one of the most common tree species in Northeast China; it has the advantages of fast growth and good wood properties. In order to accelerate larch molecular breeding and to provide good candidate genes for larch improvement, based on the existing transcriptome data of Larix olgensis, four WRKY family genes with complete CD regions were obtained by BLAST comparison on the NCBI website. The results of bioinformatics analysis and gene expression after abiotic stress showed that there were some differences in the expression of WRKY1, WRKY2, WRKY3 and WRKY4 in roots, stems and leaves under each treatment. Under the treatment of a 40% PEG6000 solution (polyethylene glycol), the expression of WRKY2 was significantly up-regulated in each time period and WRKY1, WRKY3 and WRKY4 were down-regulated in varying degrees compared with the control group, indicating that they were involved in the response to drought stress. Under the treatment of the 0.2mol/L NaCl solution, the expression of WRKY2 was up-regulated in roots, stems and leaves. The expression amount and the expression trend of the other three genes were different in roots, stems and leaves under different treatment durations, indicating that they were also involved in a salt-stress response. Under the treatment of the 0.1 mol/L NaHCO3 solution, the expression of WRKY4 was significantly down-regulated in all time periods, while WRKY2 was significantly up-regulated. The other two genes were regulated to a certain extent, indicating that they also had a physiological response under alkaline conditions. These results lay a foundation for the study of gene function of these four WRKY transcription factors

Growth and Physiological Responses of Norway Spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst) Supplemented with Monochromatic Red, Blue and Far-Red Light

Monochromatic red light (R) supplementation is more efficient than blue light (B) in promoting Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst) growth. Transcriptome analysis has revealed that R and B may regulate stem growth by regulating phytohormones and secondary metabolites; however, the effects of light qualities on physiological responses and related gene expression in Norway spruce require further study. In the present study, three-year-old Norway spruce seedlings received sunlight during the daytime were exposed to monochromatic B (460 mm), monochromatic R (660 nm), monochromatic far-red light (FR, 730 nm), and a combination of three monochromatic lights (control, R:FR:B = 7:1:1) using light-emitting diode (LED) lamps for 12 h after sunset for 90 day. Growth traits, physiological responses, and related gene expression were determined. The results showed that light quality significantly affected Norway spruce growth. The stem height, root collar diameter, and current-year shoot length of seedlings treated with R were 2%, 10% and 12% higher, respectively, than those of the control, whereas seedlings treated with B and FR showed significantly lower values of these parameters compared with that of the control. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of seedlings under R treatment was 10% higher than that of the control, whereas the Pn values of seedlings treated with FR and B were 22% and 33%, respectively, lower than that of the control. The ratio of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase to ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (PEPC/Rubisco) of seedlings after the R treatment (0.581) was the highest and 3.98 times higher than that of the seedlings treated with B. Light quality significantly affected the gibberellic acid (GAs) levels, which was 13% higher in seedlings treated with R (6.4 g/100 ng) than that of the control, whereas, the GAs level of seedlings treated with B and FR was 17% and 19% lower, respectively, than that of the control. In addition, seedlings treated with R achieved the lowest ratio of leaf chlorophyll content to fresh weight (8.7). Compared to the R and control treatments, seedlings received FR treatment had consistently lower values of the quantum yield of electron transport beyond Q(A)(-) (primary quinone, phi Eo) and efficiency, with which a trapped exciton moves an electron into the electron transport chain beyond Q(A)(-) (psi o), while higher values of the relatively variable fluorescence at the J step and normalized relatively variable fluorescence at the K step (W-k). The values of phi Eo, psi O, V-J and W-k in seedlings treated with B were similar to those in the control group. The expression of genes associated with light signal transduction, such as PHYTOCHROME C (PHYC), ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5), CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1-2 (COP1-2), and PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 3 (PIF3), was significantly higher in seedlings under B treatment than those under other light treatments. Nevertheless, significant differences were not observed in the expression of COP1-2, HY5, and PIF3 between the R treatment and the control. The expression value of COP1-2 was significantly lower in R than FR light treatments. In conclusion, compared with the control, R promotes, whereas B and FR inhibit Norway spruce growth, which was accompanied by physiological changes and genes expression regulation that may be relate to a changing phytochrome photostationary state (PSS) with the supplemental R in seedlings

Complete Plastome Sequences of Picea asperata Mast., P. crassifolia Kom. and Comparative Analyses with P. abies (L.) Karst. and P. morrisonicola Hayata

Picea asperata and P. crassifolia have sympatric ranges and are closely related, but the differences between these species at the plastome level are unknown. To better understand the patterns of variation among Picea plastomes, the complete plastomes of P. asperata and P. crassifolia were sequenced. Then, the plastomes were compared with the complete plastomes of P. abies and P. morrisonicola, which are closely and distantly related to the focal species, respectively. We also used these sequences to construct phylogenetic trees to determine the relationships among and between the four species as well as additional taxa from Pinaceae and other gymnosperms. Analysis of our sequencing data allowed us to identify 438 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) point mutation events, 95 indel events, four inversion events, and seven highly variable regions, including six gene spacer regions (psbJ-petA, trnT-psaM, trnS-trnD, trnL-rps4, psaC-ccsA, and rps7-trnL) and one gene (ycf1). The highly variable regions are appropriate targets for future use in the phylogenetic reconstructions of closely related, sympatric Picea species as well as Pinaceae in general.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author